1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to the field of truck accessories, and more particular to an apparatus for supporting air hoses, cables, and/or other flexible lines extending between a truck cab and the trailer it is towing.
2. Description of Related Art
Motor vehicle laws and regulations and good trucking practice make it wise to support flexible lines (e.g., air hoses) that extend between a truck cab and the trailer it is towing. That is done to avoid the damage that might otherwise occur when the hoses rub together or against some truck structure for extended periods. U.S. Pat. No. 3,650,545, for example, describes one well known and commonly used flexible-line support system for doing so. It includes a two-section clamping unit (i.e., a truck air hose holder) that defines multiple, spaced-apart, line-receiving openings through which the air hoses extend. A user first assembles the two sections of the clamping unit over the rearwardly extending air hoses with a U-bolt and then connects the U-bolt to a supportive bar on the cab with a long spring. That way, the air hoses are supported flexibly in an elevated position while being held apart from each other.
One problem, however, is that the clamping unit works better with straight air hose line than it does with the coiled air hoses that have come into common usage since the invention of the prior art clamping unit. Assembling the clamping unit over coiled air hoses can be relatively more difficult and time consuming. Among other things, the user must deform the coiled air hoses significantly so that they align with the forwardly facing openings in the clamping unit. The user must then position the two separate clamping unit sections over the deformed air hoses and hold them together while adding the U-bolt and the U-bolt nuts. That entire procedure can be somewhat difficult, time-consuming and frustrating, with the resulting assembly often presenting a displeasing make-shift appearance. Thus, a need exists for a truck air hose holder (i.e., a clamping unit) that overcomes these drawbacks.